cut motor running rough on carve

[jcorder]

Not sure what is going on, but it seems since I loaded 1.132 that when I am using the carving bit, the cut motor runs very choppy and the flex shaft really jumps around, so much it gets somewhat warm. I have taken it apart and lubed it twice in the last three days to make sure it is well lubed. If I do an edge route or a cut-out, the motor runs smooth. Any ideas? I am at a loss here.

Thanks
Jeff

[Jeff_Birt]

Need a new carving bit? :p

[jcorder]

the bit only has about 40 hours on it, it seems sharp and I clean it consistently.

[Jeff_Birt]

All it takes is dropping it once on the floor and it's chipped (been there done that). You can try looking at it under a magnifying glass/microscope for damage.

[jcorder]

Ok, I will take a close look at it. Thanks!

Jeff

[Jeff_Birt]

NP. I dumped my whole box of bits once. :mad:
Luckily it only ruined a few...

[Ike]

Ok, I will take a close look at it. Thanks!

Jeff
Jeff, was that it? I am afraid to try my CW! I haven't been able to use it since I switched over to the upgrade. When will I learn to wait until they work the bugs out?! I ask myself every time I use the pattern editor and using the wand and the damn patterns moves!

Ike

[Jeff_Birt]

I've been using the 1.132 upgrade for a few months as a beta tester. I have not experianced any carving problems with it at all. Why can't you use your machine??

[Digitalwoodshop]

Cut Motor Brushes OK?......

AL

[jcorder]

Jeff, was that it? I am afraid to try my CW! I haven't been able to use it since I switched over to the upgrade. When will I learn to wait until they work the bugs out?! I ask myself every time I use the pattern editor and using the wand and the damn patterns moves!

Ike

I have not got to check the bit yet, been digging out the driveway. My Kubota skates pretty well on this ice! I will check it and let you know

[jcorder]

Cut Motor Brushes OK?......

AL

I would think if it were the brushes it would run rough all the time. It is quiet and smooth on edge route and cutout.

Jeff

[jcorder]

OK, went down and gave the carve bit a good lookover. I do not see any nicks on the bit. It appears to be clean and sharp. So I have no idea why it makes the machine jerk so much when it runs.

Jeff

[AskBud]

Not sure what is going on, but it seems since I loaded 1.132 that when I am using the carving bit, the cut motor runs very choppy and the flex shaft really jumps around, so much it gets somewhat warm. I have taken it apart and lubed it twice in the last three days to make sure it is well lubed. If I do an edge route or a cut-out, the motor runs smooth. Any ideas? I am at a loss here.

Thanks
Jeff
When my Flex melted, I told Sear's that the Truck was also VERY HOT (It also whined a lot). They replaced both, and so far so good, and no more high pitch whine.

I have also observed that if the wood is ultra hard (and feels heavier than it normally does), it's like cutting metal. The truck, shaft & motor, are all put to the test. It's seems worse on Cross-Grain Cuts. I first ran across the situation on a Forum give-away pattern. The edge route was set for 1/2" and no Maximum cut depth on each pass. Good for "soft stock" but BAAAD on good wood. I now use 0.1" steps on those passes no matter the wood.
AskBud

[jcorder]

Hi Budd,
I was using the new optimum carve on a piece of oak for a gun rack. The carve was a 1/4 inch carve region with a turkey and a deer design in each of the three carve regions. I have cut a lot of projects in oak and have not had this problem. It seems it has started since I upgraded to the 1.132 software. I have only carved a couple things since upgrading to it.

Jeff

[Ike]

I've been using the 1.132 upgrade for a few months as a beta tester. I have not experianced any carving problems with it at all. Why can't you use your machine??
Jeff Birt, I have not been able to use it since the upgrade due to health issues.

I asked Jeff Corder was that the problem, was it the bit or maybe the software? Since I am frustrated wasting time in the pattern editor chasing the pattern to highlight a section with the wand. That has been happening since the upgrade and yes I know the techs are aware of it. So that is why I said I am afraid to try my CW since the upgrade. I was teasing with Jeff Corder

So I am not sure if my machine will work it may be too cold! That seems to be the hot topic lately!

Ike

PS Too many Jeffs in this thread!

[jcorder]

Jeff Birt, I have not been able to use it since the upgrade due to health issues.

I asked Jeff Corder was that the problem, was it the bit or maybe the software? Since I am frustrated wasting time in the pattern editor chasing the pattern to highlight a section with the wand. That has been happening since the upgrade and yes I know the techs are aware of it. So that is why I said I am afraid to try my CW since the upgrade. I was teasing with Jeff Corder

So I am not sure if my machine will work it may be too cold! That seems to be the hot topic lately!

Ike

PS Too many Jeffs in this thread!

Ike,
You can never have too many Jeffs, it gives you lots of people to blame things on and gives us the opportunity to point to the other Jeff and say....IT WAS HIM!

One of the Jeffs

[Jeff_Birt]

You can never have too many Jeffs, it gives you lots of people to blame things on and gives us the opportunity to point to the other Jeff and say....IT WAS HIM!

<shaking head in agreement> The story of my life...:)

[Digitalwoodshop]

OK so it's not the motor brushes.... had to ask.

The z belt screws on the back of the truck have been known to loosen causing slop in the Z....

Also a bad Y bearing in the big plastic gear can cause this too. Remember you can replace the worn Y gear box by using the one off the old Z motor. Just unscrew it from the motor. It's a sleeve bearing and as it wears you get clicking when the head is at the bit plate and the distance from the big plastic gear and the metal of the machine gets narrower and drags the y motor.

A Y or Z adjustable bearing could be loose?

The screws that hold the smooth vertical rails could be loose under the machine, I had that twice.

Just some more thoughts....


AL

[jcorder]

OK so it's not the motor brushes.... had to ask.

The z belt screws on the back of the truck have been known to loosen causing slop in the Z....

Also a bad Y bearing in the big plastic gear can cause this too. Remember you can replace the worn Y gear box by using the one off the old Z motor. Just unscrew it from the motor. It's a sleeve bearing and as it wears you get clicking when the head is at the bit plate and the distance from the big plastic gear and the metal of the machine gets narrower and drags the y motor.

A Y or Z adjustable bearing could be loose?

The screws that hold the smooth vertical rails could be loose under the machine, I had that twice.

Just some more thoughts....


AL

Just a question Al, if this were the problem, wouldn't the machine run rough in all modes?

I am going to try and do a small test carve tonight and see if the problem persists.

Thanks to all of you for scratching your heads and turning the gears to try and figure this out, I really appreciate it.

Jeff

[jcorder]

Here is an update on this issue.

Chris, I received my new carving bit and today was the first chance I had to try it. It did not make a difference in the way it ran. So I called LHR and spoke with Andre. We went through a couple things, first I unplugged the sensor wire on the top left of the cut motor and it made the motor run smooth but it also increased the speed. We pulled the core out of the flexshaft and flipped it over and that made no difference. So he had me take the bottom off of the machine and look at the x termination board to see if it had any physical damage and of course it did not. So he is sending it up the line, he feels it is a problem with the x termination board or else a problem with the rpm sensor. So they are going to go over it and he will call on Monday to let me know what parts they are sending me.

Thanks
Jeff

[TerryT]

Jeff, It might be torque loading and unloading and not the cut motor at all. Just excessive twisting of the flex core. Mine was doing this and I twisted the flex shaft at the base where it attaches to the cut motor and the problem pretty much went away.

[www.go3d.us]

Could it be the pattern itself? Bad pattern (has rough serface) can result in rough movement of the ztruck and can shorten the life of the machine.

[jcorder]

Jeff, It might be torque loading and unloading and not the cut motor at all. Just excessive twisting of the flex core. Mine was doing this and I twisted the flex shaft at the base where it attaches to the cut motor and the problem pretty much went away.

We popped the core out of the flex shaft and flipped it and that did not seem to do anything. It stopped running rough when we popped off the speed control wire but it let it run too fast then

[jcorder]

Could it be the pattern itself? Bad pattern (has rough serface) can result in rough movement of the ztruck and can shorten the life of the machine.

I have been carving with it doing this for a few weeks on different carvings and on different types of wood, it did not seem to make any difference.

Jeff

[dwbox]

I just posted a thread in software. I'm getting the same thing with burn marks on large centerline text. I too was wondering if it was 1.1.32........

[jcorder]

I have not had burn marks, the machine just runs rough